Five Important Things To Know About DA Smith’s Rankin County Trial
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's most recent trial for aggravated stalking and robbery charges spanned two days in a Rankin County courtroom.
DA Smith Not Guilty, Refers to Case as 'Modern-Day Emmett Till'
A Rankin County jury deliberated for nearly four hours before announcing its final decision for Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's most recent trial, this one for charges of aggravated stalking and robbery.
UPDATED: Jury Deliberates in Hinds DA Trial, After Smith Takes Stand on Second Day
The jury went behind closed doors in a Rankin County courthouse to decide whether or not Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith is guilty of an aggravated stalking charge and a robbery charge stemming from a 2015 incident with ex-girlfriend Christie Edwards.
DA Smith Trial: Tales of Affairs, Fighting, Hiding in the Closet
An all-white jury of eight women and six men settled in to listen to the state's case against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith on Tuesday, Sept. 11, in Rankin County.
UPDATED: Hinds DA Smith's Aggravated Stalking, Robbery Trial Resumes After Delays
Jury selection began today in Rankin County for Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's latest trial for an aggravated stalking charge and a robbery charge for allegedly attacking ex-girlfriend Christie Edwards.
Hinds County DA Robert Smith's Criminal Trial Delayed Again Until March
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith was supposed to be in front of a Rankin County judge this morning to begin the trial for two counts of domestic violence, and aggravated stalking and robbery. After yet another delay, the trial will take place in March.
Hinds DA's New Lawyer Pushes Back on State Case
Strapped with a new lead defense attorney, Robert Shuler Smith will face a trial in Rankin County for charges of two counts of domestic violence, and aggravated stalking and robbery.
Hinds DA Replaces Attorney Reeves—Who Still Has the Gun
An "overwhelmed" Rankin County judge has delayed Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's trial for charges of two counts of domestic violence and aggravated stalking and robbery until Jan. 29, 2018.
Hinds DA Facing Different Kind of Trial for Alleged Abuse, Stalking in Rankin County
In the last year, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith has avoided a conviction in two trials for hindering prosecution in Hinds County that would have forced him from office as the area's top prosecutor, and probably gotten him disbarred.
Hinds DA Seeks to Block Abuse, Drug Testimony As Trial Moves Forward
The Mississippi Supreme Court denied Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's appeal this morning.
Attorney General: DA Smith Is 'Mistaken' In Appeal to State Supreme Court
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's office says Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith is "mistaken" about claims that the attorney general "exceeded the scope of his authority" by prosecuting Smith in Rankin County when the district attorney there did not explicitly ask for their assistance.
Hinds DA Smith's Supreme Court Appeal Delays Rankin County Trial
A Rankin County judge today delayed the trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for aggravated stalking, robbery, and two counts of domestic violence, all involving an ex-girlfriend pending his effort to stop the trial.
Waiting for the DA: Smith Seven Hours Late to Face Rankin County Judge
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith was nearly seven hours late Monday to his pre-trial court date for two domestic-violence charges, an aggravated stalking charge, and a robbery charge he faces in Rankin County for allegedly attacking Christie Edwards.
UPDATED: Darnell Turner Gets 45 Years, Judge Brings Up DA Smith
The young woman who accused Darnell Turner of beating her, dragging her, strangling her, shooting at her car, and dangling her off a bridge in the Washington Addition when she was 22 was in the courtroom this morning when Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill sentenced the 39-year-old to 45 consecutive years in prison on three felony counts.
UPDATED: Darnell Turner May Serve 45 Years for 'Heinous Crimes'; Feds Earlier Tied Him to DA
A Hinds County jury yesterday convicted Darnell Turner, who also goes by Donald Dixon, in three separate counts related to a 2014 domestic incident—aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated domestic violence and shooting into an occupied vehicle.
A Sterling Closer, Failed Maury Povich Quip Closed Out Hinds DA Smith's Second Trial
The mostly female and predominately black jury raised their hands Tuesday evening to confirm that they unanimously had decided that Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith was not guilty of any of the three counts the State of Mississippi had brought against him.
The Case Against the Hinds DA: A Long-Running Hinds County Whodunit Ends
Jackson has been enveloped in a seemingly ripe "whodunit" case involving Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith since 2011.
Jury Finds Hinds DA 'Not Guilty,' Hood Looks to Smith's Next Trial
A jury found Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith "not guilty" on three counts for hindering the prosecution of Christopher Butler.
Witness for Hinds DA Helps State’s Case Against Him, Confirms ‘Hindering’
One of the witnesses called to help Smith actually ended up confirming that he probably did what the State is accusing him of doing—hindering the prosecution of Christopher Butler for white-collar mail-fraud charges.
Hinds DA's Motive Doesn't Matter in Conspiracy Case, State Argues in Court
The State of Mississippi rested its case against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith Friday, bringing the first week of his second trial to a close, even as the jury had to stay sequestered through the weekend at the Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Raymond.
Newly Discovered Footage Changing Focus of Hinds DA's Trial
The second trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for trying to hinder the prosecution of Christopher Butler is different from his first trial earlier this year in at least one significant way. Recently discovered surveillance video footage from the home of Butler weakens one of Smith's primary defenses for his actions to help Butler.
Hindering Justice? DA Smith Back on Trial
The second trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith kicked off at 9:03 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, with a jury of seven women and five men who did not seem all that happy to be there.
As DA's Trial Begins, Key Player Sentenced 30 Years for Pot Found in MBN Raid
As the second trial against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith begins today, Christopher Butler, 40, is headed to prison for 30 years without parole after a Hinds County Circuit Court jury convicted him of possession of a large amount of marijuana on July 27.
Hinds County DA Smith's Appeal Fails, Supreme Court Orders Retrial
The Mississippi Supreme Court denied Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's appeal to avoid a second trial yesterday.
‘Juror No. 4’ Causes AG v. DA Kerfuffle; Both Want Jury Back Now
The Mississippi attorney general’s office wants the jury from Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith’s trial back, this time to get to the bottom of why it ended in a mistrial.
The District Attorney's Mistrial: What Just Happened? A Day-by-Day Primer
The Mississippi attorney general's prosecution of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for conspiracy to hinder prosecution in order to aid or assist a defendant ended in a mistrial on Jan. 4, 2017, in Special Judge Larry Roberts' courtroom.
UPDATED: DA Smith Puts Ben Allen on Trial Jan. 30, DJP Suing 'Whistleblower' Claiming Forged Checks
The trial of Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen, who faces 10 counts, including embezzling a 1989 Chevy truck and tens of thousands of dollars from the business improvement district, is set to begin Jan. 30.
UPDATED: Ben Allen Trial Set for Jan. 30; Hinds DA Indicted Him, State Investigators
The trial of Downtown Jackson Partners Executive Director Ben Allen, who has been accused on 10 counts, including embezzling a 1989 Chevy truck and tens of thousands of dollars from the development group, is set to begin Jan. 30.
Hinds District Attorney Arrested by AG, Sheriff
An arrest warrant was served and executed on Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith Wednesday morning for six counts of what court documents state was assisting criminal defendants during his term.
Judge Argues Against Unsealing Mystery Case Without Redactions
By the end of today, the public might regain access to sealed court documents concerning the recent charges against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith, although one of the judges thinks that the DA's allegations are "unsupported by the actual documents and hearing transcript" for one sealed case, No. 16-120.
Alleged Smith-Turner Connection Revealed in Case 16-120
The connection between Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith and Darnell Turner, a criminal defendant named in one of the six counts that Smith faced originally, has been something of a mystery.
DA Files: The Curious Case of Mr. Smith, Mr. Butler and Mr. Hood
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith walked into the courtroom on March 3, 2016, with a clear goal—to help get Christopher Butler, then 38, out of the Raymond jail.
UPDATED: Judge Sets DA's New Trial for June 12 after Mistrial, Hood Slams Dishonesty of Juror
The jury in the State of Mississippi case against Hinds District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith only deliberated about three hours before the judge declared a mistrial at about 4 p.m. today.
'Too Sweet,' Bribes and Smith Take Center Stage at DA Trial
The trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith continues today with testimony from Robert "Too Sweet" Henderson.
No Dismissal, a Judge and an Inmate in Smith Trial
The exact extent to which a prosecutor can go to prove his claim that a prisoner is innocent is central to the State trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.
Judge Weill Takes Stand in DA Trial, Followed by Political Gadfly
A sitting Hinds County Circuit Court Judge took the stand this morning in the trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith, despite his attorney's strenuous objections, testifying to his history with Smith.
Former Butler Prosecutor Says DA Smith Fired Her Over Case
Former Assistant District Attorney Gale Walker took the stand Tuesday afternoon to testify against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith, who is accused of trying to help an indicted man, Christopher Butler, stay out of jail. During the prosecution’s rebuttal stage, Walker told the jury of her time prosecuting Butler on drug charges, saying she believed she had a strong case against him until the DA removed her.
DA Smith: Going Too Far to Help Butler?
The jury in the trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith has a lot to untangle, as the prosecution continues to present pieces of its case that the district attorney conspired to hinder the prosecution of Christopher Butler in order to aid in efforts to free him.
The Dark Side of the Hinds Justice System
It will be a tough slog, but we need confidence and accountability in the Hinds criminal-justice system again.
Day 5: DA's Attorney Takes Stand ... for Prosecution
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith had the opportunity to ask his own attorney questions on the stand after the prosecution called Tupelo attorney Jim Waide as its latest witness during the fifth morning of testimony the Smith trial.
Day 4 of DA Smith Trial All About Jail Visits
Staff from the Raymond detention center and criminal defendant Christopher's Butler's old attorney, Sanford Knott, dominated the much of day four of the trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for conspiracy to hinder prosecution and aid or assist Christopher Butler in his bid to get released from jail.
Smith Trial: Defense Tries to Impugn Informant
On the fourth day of the trial against the Hinds County district attorney, his attorney tried to impugn the motives of a former employee-turned-informant, pressing him for more details on an alleged bribery conspiracy.
Conspiracies Grow in DA Smith Trial
There might be a bribery conspiracy in the Hinds County justice system, and even an admitted member of it said he did not know how "deep it goes."
DA Smith Asks High Court for Reinstatement
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shueler Smith filed a motion for the Mississippi Supreme Court to overturn an order barring him from participating in any of the duties of his office.
DA Files: ‘Too Sweet’ Reverend, Old Faces Back in News
Names of men who were involved in the late and controversial Mayor Frank Melton's universe keep popping up in the convoluted accusations encircling Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.
Lawsuit Targets Chris Butler, Connected to Mega Mattress Scam
Christopher Butler, one of the more prominent figures involved in the ongoing legal battle between Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith and the Mississippi attorney general's office, now faces a federal civil lawsuit in addition to his pending criminal charges.
In DA Case, Former Mayor Danks Challenges AG's Right to Empanel Grand Jury
Former Jackson Mayor Dale Danks Jr., the attorney for Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride, is challenging the attorney general's authority to ask a Hinds County grand jury to indict him and his boss, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.
Informant: Butler Case ‘Became the Big Thing’ in DA’s Office
It all began in the P.F. Chang’s parking lot, a former assistant district attorney testified on Tuesday in the trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for two counts of conspiracy and one count of aiding or assisting a criminal defendant while serving as district attorney.
Informant Recorded DA Smith, Reported to FBI for Months
Former Hinds County Assistant District Attorney Ivon Johnson secretly taped District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith on several occasions over the last year, FBI Special Agent Robert Culpepper testified this morning during the trial against the county's top prosecutor for alleged trying to help wire-fraud suspect Christopher Butler beat his charges.
County Renews Lapsed Ankle-Bracelet Contract DA Complained About
No contract existed between Hinds County and the company that provided pre-trial detainee supervision, Probation Services Company, LLC, for almost 8 years, until the Board of Supervisors ratified a motion this morning to accept all services for those intervening years and open the contract opportunity up to other companies that meet "county standards."
Analysis: The DA’s Role in Freeing Defendants
Last week, a Hinds County grand jury indicted District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith, along with one of his assistant district attorneys, for felony charges for hindering the prosecution of Christopher Butler, essentially replacing the State's earlier misdemeanor charges against the DA, which were dropped earlier the same week.
DA’s ‘Adversarial’ Relationship with Judge Weill, Turner Details Surface in Motion
District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith showed up in the chambers of Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill on May 11 of this year to get a cell phone back, then sent two “threatening text messages” to the judge later that day.
Hinds DA Indicted, Arrested for Hindering Prosecution, Two Felonies
JACKSON— Attorney General Jim Hood announced today that a Hinds County grand jury has indicted Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith on two felony charges, accusing Smith of conspiring with an assistant DA to hinder prosecution of a criminal defendant.
AG's Office: Assistant DA to Testify For Prosecution After Charges Dismissed
One of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith’s former assistant DAs will testify for the prosecution in his trial for alleged tampering with wire-fraud suspect Christopher Butler, the attorney general’s office said today. Special Judge Larry Roberts dropped charges against ADA Jamie McBride while jury selection was underway earlier today.
The DA’s Puzzling Accusations
A week after Special Judge Larry Roberts ordered files unsealed in the wide-ranging charges against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for allegedly improperly trying to help a defendant, the files were still not in public view as at press time.
DA Smith Says MBN Framed Jackson Man; Agency Says Evidence Not 'Credible'
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith is hanging his defense to state charges and a bar complaint around what he alleges is a set-up of Christopher Butler, the man at the center of five of the six counts that could get the DA booted from office.
DA Files: What Is Case No. 16-120?
This Hinds County Circuit Court case, 16-120, serves as the central mystery to the ongoing legal morass surrounding District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.
Christopher Butler Arraigned for Having Pre-paid Tracfone in Hinds Jail
Christopher Butler, the Jackson man in the middle of Attorney General Jim Hood's investigation of HInds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith, was arraigned today for having an illegal, pre-paid cell phone in the Hinds jail.
UPDATE: Bomb Threat Clears Hinds County Courthouse
Moments after the Hinds County Circuit Clerk explained that he could not produce documents supporting Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's counter-accusations against Attorney General Jim Hood'ss office, deputies swarmed the bottom floor of the courthouse, ushering everyone out of the building.
DA Could Face Fast Removal from Office If Judge Grants Bench Trial
The Mississippi attorney general’s office wants to move forward quickly on the single misdemeanor charge Hinds County Robert Shuler Smith faces, possibly removing him from office without a jury decision.
DA Smith’s Charges Go to Grand Jury
A Hinds County grand jury will decide whether Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith should be charged with assisting defendants.
DA Files: The Legacy of Williams v. State
During his objections to Attorney General Jim Hood's prosecution of Christopher Butler at a hearing in Hinds County Judge Melvin Priester Sr.'s courtroom on March 3, 2016, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith referenced the Supreme Court decision of Williams v. State.
DA Files: What the Heck is ‘Ex Parte’?
A common denominator in the myriad of charges Attorney General Jim Hood has leveled against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith is his alleged use of “ex parte communications.”
Bar Files Complaint Against DA, Includes Letter About His Mother
The air of secrecy continues around the case against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith Wednesday, as Hinds County Judge Larita Cooper-Stokes recused herself during a closed meeting with attorneys, and the Mississippi Bar Association filed a complaint, including judicial complaints about "odd and improper" attempts by Smith and his mother to communicate with Judge Tomie Green.
Robert Shuler Smith Reinstated as Hinds District Attorney, Despite Indictment
Robert Shuler Smith is the District Attorney of Hinds County again, effectively immediately after the Mississippi Supreme Court today overturned an order barring Smith from his duties.
AG Hood Using Secret Tapes, Confidential Informants Against DA Smith
Attorney General Jim Hood revealed in court filings Friday that his office is using both confidential informants and secret recordings of the Hinds County district attorney in its quest to investigate Robert Shuler Smith and ultimately remove him from office for inappropriate interference with the prosecution of two local men.
Twists, Turns, Rats and Secret Tapes
Who's ratting out the district attorney? That's just one of many questions swirling around Attorney General Jim Hood's arrest and investigation of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.
DA’s Attorney Looking for Tapes, Informant; Says AG Hiding Him
Defense counsel James Waide III may have revealed the name of the confidential informant who taped Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith and then provided tapes to the Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood’s office—tapes that could get Waide disqualified as Smith’s attorney.
FBI Agent Accuses Hinds District Attorney of Shielding Drug Traffickers
A judge unsealed documents last week as part of the ongoing case against Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith and Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride that reveal more about the possible reasons for the circuitous legal quagmire that spans multiple cases and courts.
DA Robert Smith's Trial Starts Today
The trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for alleged tampering with criminal cases began today, with jury selection this morning. The list of potential witnesses in Special Judge Larry Roberts' courtroom includes Smith's own attorney, Jim Waide, and Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason.
Court May Decide if Judge Can Bar District Attorney from Duties
It is up to the highest court in Mississippi to decide whether Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith will be able to continue the duties of his position while the county circuit court deliberates his alleged acts of assisting defendants.
UPDATED: Indictment Snares Attorney Previously Used to Defend DA Smith
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith was the high-profile name listed in a three-count felony indictment today. But the other is an assistant district attorney who Smith’s attorney claims can help prove that the state attorney general’s office has ulterior motives in pursuing the local prosecutor.
